Jeb Bush Foundation Praises Passing of K-12 Grading Overhaul

The Florida Senate unanimously passed SB 1642 on Friday, paving the way for an overhaul of Florida's K-12 school grading system.The bill would streamline school grades and suspend punishment for school grades for one year while a new state assessment test is introduced in Florida schools.

The passage of the bill won praise from Jeb Bush'sFoundation for Floridas Future (aFloridaPromise), which lauded the legislation as a step in the right direction for schools in the Sunshine State.

Florida was the first state to start grading its schools with the same scale we grade our students: A, B, C, D or F. The grades were based on how many students were performing at grade level in reading and math and the number of students who improved, even if they werent on grade level," said Executive Director Patricia Levesque. "This simple concept attracts interest and action from parents, teachers and entire communities. It has helped us reward success and identify where we need to better support our students, and its a major reason were one of the nations leaders in closing the achievement gap.

Since what gets measured gets done, over the years additional measurements have been added, making the formula more complex. The bill passed from the Senate today provides for a simple formula based on objective student performance and learning gains. Im grateful to Chairman Legg and President Gaetz for making this a priority.

This is a critical step toward restoring focus, clarity and confidence in the school accountability system. Built on thoughtful recommendations from Commissioner Stewart, the plan focuses on the fundamentals. It will also give students and teachers a chance to adjust as Florida helps take student learning further with higher standards and a new assessment next school year.